Means for protectively concealing the stitching of articles



L. STEIN Aug. 31, 1965 3,203,51 7 MEANS FOR PROTECTIVELY CONCEALING THE STITCHING OF ARTICLES Filed Feb. 15, 1965 INVENTOR. Zea fizfi gzzz BY /%4 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ,203,517 MEANS FOR PROTECTIVELY CQNCEALING THE STITH1NG 0F ARTICLES Leo Stein, 7022 S. Shore Drive, Chicago, Ill. Filed Feb. 15, 1963, S02. No. 258,828 2 Claims. (Cl. 190-54) The present invention relates to improvements in means for protectively concealing the stitching by which articles are fastened together and more particularly concerns such means especially useful on articles such as luggage, brief cases, and the like.

Stitching of the various components comprising panels, side walls and connecting walls is the common and inexpensive attachment and securing expedient. Although such stitching is not necessarily unsightly, its exposure to wear causes the article to come apart, leading to premature deterioration and requiring repairs, loss of service and expense to the owner.

An important object of the present invention is to provide new and improved means for protectively concealing the stitching of articles of the class indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for protectively concealing stitching, constructed and arranged to facilitate attachment thereof by the stitching to be protected.

A further object of the invention is to provide stitch protecting means which becomes an integral part of the article secured by the stitching and functions in addition as a protective buffer strip for the article.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved stitch protecting means in strip form which when attached by the stitching to be protected present a neat and tight coactive relation to the associated article.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved self-sustaining plastic stitch concealing and protecting strip adapted to be made conveniently as an extrusion and possessed of inherent characteristics of ease of application to the article to be stitched and maintenance of proper cooperative relation to the article to which attached by the stitching which is protected by the strip.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved stitch protecting strip which is so constructed and arranged that it automatically assumes a neat tight-joint relation to an article to which attached.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of an article having thereon a stitch protecting structure embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a substantially enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on the line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the plastic edge protecting strip employed in the form of FIGURES 1 and 2 but showing the strip before it is attached;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional detail view similar to FIG- URE 2 but showing a modification; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another modification.

By way of example, an article is depicted in FIG- URE 1, representative of any article for which the present invention is adapted and in which components are secured together by stitching and to which class of articles luggage, brief cases, zipper ring binders, portfolios, brief bags, catalogue cases, and the like belong.

In this instance, the article 10 comprises opposed wall panels 11 and connecting wall or gusset strips or panels 12 of a thinner flexible character having respective marginal flanges 13 lappingly engaged against the inside marginal faces of the panels 11 and attached thereto by respective rows of stitching 14. Separable connection of the gusset strips 12 at their adjacent inner edges may be accomplished as by means of a separable fastener 15, commonly referred to as a zipper.

According to the present invention, not only are the edge portions of the panels 11 and the joints thereof with the gusset strips 12 at the marginal flanges 13 thereof neatly protectively encased, but the stitching 14 is also protectively enclosed 'at least at the outer sides of the seams or joints of the secured components and where the stitching would in normal usage be most liable to wear and deterioration. This is accomplished by means of a novel protective buffer strip 17 of substantially beadlike form including a main body portion having coactive solid portions 18 and 19 partially separated on the outer side by a longitudinal slot 20 and integrally connected at the inner side by a web 21 providing the root of the slot 20. In its normal, unattached condition, an external base wall surface 22 on the body portion 18 and an external base wall surface 23 on the body portion 19 converge on an obtuse angle at an indentation 24 generally opposite the thinnest portion of the body provided by the connecting web 21. In this unattached condition of the strip, it will also be observed in FIG- URE 3 that a lip portion 25 on the body portion 18 at the entrance into the slot 21) opposes a complementary lip 27 on the body portion 19 at the entrance to the slot in spaced relation providing a narrow gap affording access into the slot 20 which inwardly from the lips is of as narrow as practicable form but nevertheless wide enough to accommodate a suitable presser foot attachment on a sewing machine by which the stitching 14 is applied to the article.

By constructing the strip 17 from a suitable resiliently flexible plastic material having a good memory factor, the strip can be economically fashioned as an extrusion. By reason of its flexible yieldability, the strip 17 as thus constructed readily adapts itself to the article with which it is associated and is readily worked into position as an incident to sewing operations, easily bends around corners, and because of its inherent resilience or memory factor tends always to return to its normal shape. Hence, in the course of sewing a joint and thus applying the stitching 14 and attaching the protective strip 17 by sewing through the relatively thin connecting web 21, such Web is drawn against the opposing marginal face of the article represented by the panel 11, with resultant flexing of the web 21 to bring the body surfaces 22 and 23 substantially into abutment with the underlying panel face. At the same time, due to the substantially hinge-like bending flexing of the stitch-gripped connecting web 21 as the base surfaces 22 and 23 move toward alignment, the entry opening lips 25 and 27 are biased toward one another and into abutment by swinging of the body portions 18 and 19 toward one another about the hinge axis. To this end, the normal spacing of the gap between the lips 25 and 27 is so related to the depth of the hinge indentation 24 as to attain the abutting, or at least substantially abutting relationship of the lips without straining of the body porions 18 and 19 when the base surfaces 22 and 23 are brought substantially into alignment in the stitched-on condition of the strip 17. Since as the mouth gap of the slot 20 is closed as a result of the stitching-0n of the strip 17 occurs progressively during the sewing operation, there is only a momentary engagement of the confronting lip portions 25 and 27 onto the sewing machine presser foot blade or shank, while the gap forwardly from the sewed on portion of the strip affords clearance and easy, bindfree advancing movement of the presser foot as it advances. Because of its resilience or memory factor, the material of the strip 17 at the lips 25 and 27 readily overcomes the forced slight yielding or spreading apart at the momentary engagement progressively therealong of the machines presser foot as the sewing progresses, so that when the sewing-on has been completed, the abutting lips 25 and 27 present a neat barely perceptible fine line closed joint.

Another advantage accruing from the resiliently flexible hinge action as the connecting web 21 is drawn toward the attached surface of the article by the stitching 14 and the resilience or memory factor of the material of the strip 17, resides in that the free edge of the body portion 19 defining at juncture with the base surface 23 a corner 28 is biased firmly against the surface of the article whereby a neat, tight, self-sustainingly snug and gap-free joint with the article surface is maintained by the corner 28. If the body portion 18 is provided with a similar corner, a similar result will attain at such corner.

In order to attain a protectively encased joint for the article and provide a protective edging, one of the body portions of the strip 17, herein the portion 18 has connected thereto as an extension from its edge generally normal to the plane of the base surface 22 a longitudinally coextensive article edge overlying and connecting flange portion 29 from which extends integrally an article lapping and attachment flange portion 30 coextensive therewith and preferably of a width about the same as the body portion of the strip 17. In the normal, unattached condition of the strip 17, the flange 30 and the body portion 19 are biased toward one another substantially as shown in FIGURE 3 and adjacent their free ends approach one another substantially closer than the anticipated thickness of material of the article to be engaged therebetween, namely the marginal portion of the panel 11 and the laminar flange 13 as shown in FIGURE 2.

By having the connecting flange 29 and the lapping flange 30 of thinner section than the body portions 18 and 19, flexing of the flange 30 away from the body of the strip is facilitated for applying the strip to the edge structure of the article received within the groove defined by the flanges of the strip, considering the body of the flange as a leg flange opposing the leg defined by the flange 30. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, flange 30 has an inwardly arched thicker portion opposite said web 21. In the assembly, the laping flange 30 at said arched thicker portion is attached to the article by the stitching 14, thereby clamping the marginal portion of the article between the two legs or flanges provided by the body of the strip and the flange 30.

A neat, tight joint between the free edge of the flange 30 and the engaged surface of the lapped marginal flange portion 13 is assured by the construction of a free edge marginal portion 31 on the flange 3t) normally turned slightly inwardly, that is toward the body portion 19 of the strip. As a result of tensioning of the flange of the strip in the assembly, the free edge at terminus of the turned margin 31 closely hugs the engaged surface of the article and provides a tight joint opposite to the tight joint effected by the corner 28.

Although, for the most part, exposure of the stitching 14 at the inner sides of the joints of the article may be unobjectionable from an appearance standpoint and because there the stitching is relatively free from Wearing out exposure, if desired for deluxe purposes and in order to protect even the stitching at the inner side of the joint against unusual, rugged usage, the modified protective strip construction 17 of FIGURE 4 may be utilized. To the extent of the body flange structure protectively concealing the stitching at the outer side of the joint, this strip may be substantially the same as the strip 17 of FIGURES I-3 and for that reason similar parts have been identified by primed reference numerals. In this construction, the panel 11' and the gusset strip 12 through its marginal flange 13 are secured together by the stitching 14 which also secures the strip 17 with its body portions 18' and 19 drawn against the outer face of the panel 11' by the stitching 14' within the access slot 20' drawing the connecting web 21 against the surface of the article 11 and thereby forcing the lips 25 and 27 closed and the edge corner 28 firmly against the panel surface.

In the form of FIGURE 4, the connecting flange 29 unites with the body portion 18' a leg flange 30' which is substantially counterpart to the outer flange comprising the body portions 18 and 19 and in effect provides a second body portion including a body portion 32 partially separated from a body portion 33 by an access slot 34 with a connecting web 35 retainingly engaged by the stitching 14'. Opposed lips 37 and 38 at the mouth of the slot 34 are, in the assembly, forced into abutment in the same manner as the lips 25' and 27'. At the same time, an edge corner 39 on the body portion 33 is snugly forced against the opposing surface of the article opposite to the joint edge 28. It will be understood that the relationship and functioning of the opposing body flanges of the strip 17' both function similarly as described in connection with the body structure comprising the body parts 18 and 19 of the strip 17 of FIGURES 1-3.

In FIGURE 5 is depicted an article 40 which differs from the article 10 in that the joint to be secured is at the adjoining edges of wall panels 41 disposed at right angles to one another. For such a construction, an edging strip 42 made from suitable resiliently flexible plastic material is provided including means for not only maintaining the panels 41 in assembly but also protectively enclosing stitching 43 by which the edging strip 42 is attached to the wall panels.

In the form of FIGURE 5, the strip 42 provides an edge protecting bead provided with a body portion 44 of a width and shape to engage the outer sides of the adjacent margins of both of the panels 41. On its inner side, the body portion 44 is provided with longitudinally extending, spaced apart similar panel edge receiving grooves 45 separated by an intermediate locating rib 47 against which the edges of the panels are engageable. Coacting with the rib 47 in defining the groove 45 in each instance is a panel margin engaging face or surface 48.

For enclosing the stitching 43, the opposite marginal portions of the strip 43 are partially separated by outwardly opening longitudinal access slots 49 partially separating body portions 50 from the main body portion 44 and connected thereto by an integral flexible hinge web 51 against which the stitching 43 engages in securing the strip 42 to the panels and thereby connecting the panels together through the strip 42.

Normally, the protective body portions 50 are biased slightly away from the body portion 44 as shown in dash outline whereby opposing lips 52 and 53 at the mouth of the slot 49 in each instance are in slightly spaced gap relation, and inner face surfaces 54 on the body portions 50 are disposed on obtuse angle relative to the adjacent surfaces 48, meeting at an indentation 55 opposite the slot 49. In the drawn-up, secured assembled condition of the body parts against the panels 41 by the stitching 43, the body portions 50 are bent about the hinge connection 51 into abutting slot closing relation of the lips 52 and 53 and substantially aligned straightened out disposition of the adjoining surfaces 48 and 54. In this assembled relationship, furthermore, free edge corners 57 on the body portions 50 firmly engage against the panel wall surfaces to afford a neat joint. In the completed assembly, all of the stitching externally of the panels 41 is completely concealed and protectively housed within the strip 42 and the strip provides a substantially continuous protective bead surface over the joint.

In all forms of the invention, the substantial, solid body structure of the protective strip is adapted to withstand hard usage and wear and fully protects the stitching so that articles equipped with this form of protective strip and edging will aflord at least three to five times the normal wear that such articles without the enclosed protected stitching will withstand.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention: 1. An article having components including edge portions secured together in adjacent relation by means of stitching to form a joint,

and a bead-like protective buifer strip engaged over the joint and having opposite engagement flanges with respective inner engaging and outer buffer faces,

one of the flanges engaging one of the components and the other of the flanges engaging the other of the components,

said stitching securing said flanges to the components,

one of said flanges being of substantial thickness and having a concealed longitudinally extending slot normally open outwardly from said outer buifer face of this flange, said slot being of substantial depth between coacting closely adjacent solid body portions joined by a web adjacent the inner face of the flange and affording opposed closely adjacent walls defining the slot,

said web being engaged by said stitching which is thereby protectively housed in said slot between said body portions,

said slot being as narrow as practicable and just wide enough to enable reception of the stitching between said closely adjacent walls,

said one flange having a free edge corner thrusting against the engaged component and biasing said solid portions toward one another so that they abut at the outer side of said slot whereby the outer face of said one flange presents a substantially solid bead surface on which the outer side of the slot is apparent only as a barely perceptible fine line in said outer buiier face, a longitudinally coextensive resiliently flexible connecting flange portion connecting said flanges and being substantially thinner than said one flange, and the other of said flanges being substantially thinner than said one flange but having an inwardly arched thicker portion opposite said web through which the stitching engages said other flange.

2. For use on an article having components including edge portions secured together in adjacent relation by means of stitching to form a joint,

a bead-like protective buffer strip comprising a resiliently flexible plastic extrusion,

said strip having opposite engagement flanges provided with respective inner component-engaging and outer buffer faces,

one of said flanges being of substantial thickness and having a longitudinally extending intermediate outwardly opening stitching receiving slot and of substantial depth between coacting closely adjacent solid body portions joined by a web adjacent the inner face of this flange and aflording opposed closely adjacent walls defining the slot,

said web being adapted to be engaged by said stitching which is adapted to draw the web into engagement with the opposed component and whereby the stitch ing will then be protectively housed between said body portions,

said slot being as narrow as practicable and of a width just enough to enable receiving the stitching between the closely adjacent walls,

the outer edges of said walls defining the slot providing opposed lips,

one of said body portions having a free edge which is engageable against the opposed component and as a result of drawing of the web against the component is deflected outwardly and thereby biases the body portions toward one another so that said lips abut and the joint formed by the lips then appears only as a barely perceptible fine line in the outer bufier face of said one flange, a longitudinally coextensive resiliently flexible connecting flange portion connecting said flanges and being substantially thinner than said one flange; and the remaining of said flanges being substantially thinner than said one flange but having an inwardly arched thicker portion opposite said web through which the stitching engages said remaining flange.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,199 8/97 Turner 24 1,761,233 6/30 Roe. 1,910,554 5/33 Loehr et al. 2074 2,149,742 3/39 Miller 20-74 2,662,620 12/53 Vojta 19054 2,779,983 2/57 Sundelin et a1 20-74 3,021,930 2/62 Storey 190-41 FOREIGN PATENTS 561,900 8/5 8 Canada. 829,683 4/38 France.

99,967 10/40 Sweden.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE HAVING COMPONENTS INCLUDING EDGE PORTIONS SECURED TOGETHER IN ADJACENT RELATION BY MEANS OF STITCHING TO FORM A JOINT, AND A BEAD-LIKE PROTECTIVE BUFFER STRIP ENGAGED OVER THE JOINT AND HAVING OPPOSITE ENGAGEMENT FLANGES WITH RESPECTIVE INNER ENGAGING AND OUTER BUFFER FACES, ONE OF THE FLANGES ENGAGING ONE OF THE COMPONENTS AND THE OTHER OF THE FLANGES ENGAGING THE OTHER OF THE COMPONENTS, SAID STITCHING SECURING SAID FLANGES TO THE COMPONENTS, ONE OF SAID FLANGES BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THICKNESS AND HAVING A CONCEALED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT NORMALLY OPEN OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OUTER BUFFER FACE OF THIS FLANGE, SAID SLOT BEING OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH BETWEEN COACTING CLOSELY ADJACENT SOLID BODY PORTIONS JOINED BY A WEB ADJACENT THE INNER FACE OF THE FLANGE AND AFFORDING OPPOSED CLOSELY ADJACENT WALLS DEFINING THE SLOT, SAID WEB BEING ENGAGED BY SAID STITCHING WHICH IS THEREBY PROTECTIVELY HOUSED IN SAID SLOT BETWEEN SAID BODY PORTIONS 